Today’s offering is another request. It is my all time favorite southern rock band and sadly they were lost to us far too early. Lynyrd Skynyrd was primarly the vision of one man, a tough little singer from the “Shantyyown” side of Jacksonville FL. named Ronnie Van Zant. A high school drop-out with a criminal record the barefoot frontman was a combination of Merle Haggard’s “Workin’ Man” and the Rolling Stones “ Street Fightin’ Man” To Van Zant the American dream was a nightmare from which he was trying to awake. In his world, being born penniless made you an outlaw’ and his songs voiced an outrage at his predicament, caused by mere chance of humble birth. “You don’t have to be black to be a nigger,” he once said about himself. For this poor boy from Shantytown, singing in a rock’ n ‘roll band was the way out of the street life in which the odds were against his survival. Lynyrd Skynyrd is an American Southern rock band, described by All Music Guide's Stephen Thomas Erlewine as "the definitive Southern rock band, fusing the overdriven power of blues-rock with a rebellious, Southern image and a hard rock swagger." The band reached prominence during the 1970s, under the leadership of vocalist and primary songwriter Ronnie Van Zant, until his death in 1977.During the 1960s, the band changed names several times (most notably The Noble Five and One Percent) while playing local dances and clubs in Jacksonville FL.. In 1968 they won a local Battle of the Bands contest, using the prize money to record the songs "Need All My Friends" and "Michelle", the former released as their debut single on Jacksonville-based Shade Tree Records. They also won the opening slot on several Southeast shows for California-based psychedelic rock band Strawberry Alarm Clock.“Free Bird,” a bluesy guitar rave-up with the refrain “I can’t change,” was a powerful metaphor for Skynyrd’s uncompromising “Play music or die” lifestyle. In the early 70’s they were so poor that gutarists Gary Rossington and Allen Collins had to collect pop bottles in order to afford a new set of guitar strings. Despite a fierce, against all odds struggle to make their musical dreams come true, they had a sassy sense of humor, naming themselves after Leonard Skinner, a high school gym coach who sent them to the principal for having hair so long it touched the back of their collars.In the prophetic opening line of “Free Bird” Van Zant posed the question “If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me?” Death was a recurring theme in many of his songs, as though he knew his fate might be predestined. He often told those closest to him that he’d never live to see 30 and that he wanted to die with his boots on. Sure enough, in a haunting coda to the singers troubled odyssey, the plane crash that took his life happened on the road, just 3 months shy of his 30th birthday. In one of his last interviews, Van Zant spoke about the meaning of Skynyrd’s legendary anthem, with which they closed every show they ever played. He explained: “To me there’s nothing free’er than a bird, just flyin’ wherever he wants to go. That’s what this country’s all about—bein’ free—and I think everybody wants to be a free bird.”“FREE BIRD”Composers: (Allen Collins - Ronnie Van Zant)

If I leave here tomorrow Would you still remember me? For I must be traveling on, now, 'Cause there's too many places I've got to see. But, if I stayed here with you, girl, Things just couldn't be the same. 'Cause I'm as free as a bird now, And this bird you cannot change. Oh?Oh...Oh? Oh?And this bird you cannot change. And this bird you cannot change.Lord Knows I Can?t Change.

Bye, bye, Baby its been a sweet love.Yea, yeaThough this feeling I can't change. But please don't take it so badly,'Cause the Lord knows I'm to blame. But, if I stayed here with you girl, Things just couldn't be the same. Cause I'm as free as a bird now, And this bird you'll never change. Oh?Oh...Oh? Oh?Oh?.And this bird you cannot change.And this bird you cannot change.Lord knows, I can't change. Lord help me, I can't change.Lord I Can't Change,Won't You Fly High Free Bird Yea.